Empassy of Spain. Office for Cultural and Scientific Affairs | spainculturescience.co.uk | October 2013 | A European team of researchers will develop sampling and astrobiologycal analysis in Rio Tinto´s mines area in Huelva (Spain). “Simulations in Rio Tinto can help to prepare future manned missions to Mars,” said Victor Parro, researcher at the Centre for Astrobiology (CAB, CSIC-INTA), one of the project participants. Also the coast of Marseille (France), will stage ‘extravehicular activities’ to simulate future missions to the lunar surface.